Pork Chops with Ginger Rhubarb Compote

Take these pork chops. As they sizzled on the grill, I cooked up a compote of rhubarb, ginger, garlic, and onions, that turned out so tangy and rosy-hued, it was too good to keep to myself, which set in motion the “mad scramble”: me pulling out my camera and props, hauling them urgently outside to catch the last of the daylight, while the kids wait on the sidelines with a look on their faces that says, “here we go again.”

Poor things.

When I prepped these Pork Chops with Ginger Rhubarb Compote, it didn’t go to the dinner table as you might expect, but to my “set” where I arranged them this way and that, snapped photos, re-arranged, and so on, until I landed on a satisfactory shot. By the time I was done, the chops were closer to room temperature than “hot off the grill”.

Nobody complained, maybe because they’re just used to it, or maybe because all that juicy pork and rhubarb was enough to distract them from the fact that their mother interferes with them ever eating warm food.

Whether you choose to eat it warm or cold, rhubarb has a captivating flavor. The fact that it adds fiber, vitamin C, and calcium, along with cancer-fighting polyphenols, is an added benefit. And while those fat red stalks may be somewhat mysterious to the uninitiated, rhubarb is no more complicated to cook with than a stalk of celery. One little side note is that the leaves of the plant are poisonous, something you need not be concerned about if you are buying it in a market. What you should worry about is the fact that rhubarb season is fleeting. So go get some and make this. It’s delicious with pork chops, but also terrific with pork loin or grilled chicken.

Pork Chops with Ginger Rhubarb Compote

This recipe is easy enough for a weeknight supper, but you can get fancy with it by brining the chops overnight or giving them at least an hour in a favorite marinade before grilling. The chops are excellent with a side of sauteed garlicky greens.

Course
Main Course

Prep Time10minutes

Cook Time15minutes

Total Time25minutes

Servings4

Calories425kcal

Authorkatiemorford

Ingredients

For the pork chops

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4boneless pork chops that are about 6 ounces each

4small fresh rosemary sprigs for garnish(optional)

Olive oil for grilling or cooking the chops

For the compote:

2teaspoonsextra-virgin olive oil

1/2small red onion, diced

1cloveminced garlic

4large stalks rhubarb, cut into 1/4-inch crosswise slices

Juice of 1 large orange

1teaspoongrated fresh ginger

2tablespoonsplus 1 teaspoon honey

Salt

Instructions

Pull the pork chops out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking and season both sides with salt and pepper.

In a medium saucepan, heat the 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high and saute the onion until tender and translucent. Add the garlic and saute another minute or so. Turn the heat to low, add the rhubarb, orange juice, and ginger, and stir. Cook, stirring occasionally until the rhubarb goes tender without completely losing its shape. Add the honey and a generous pinch of salt. Stir. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Prepare your grill so it's at a medium-high heat. Brush the grill with oil and lay on the chops. Cook to your desired doneness (I figure about 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium). Alternatively, you an cook the chops in a heavy skillet or under a broiler.

Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes.

Garnish with fresh rosemary sprigs and serve with rhubarb compote on the side.